The
Profits of Yoga
Yair
Correa
Lesley
University
Professor
Douglass
Yoga: Theory, Culture, and
Practice
Today, our modern society seems
to be viewing yoga as a new trend within the American society, but they are not
aware of the fact that this is a process that dates back three thousand years
ago in India. The word “yoga” essentially means that we are uniting the mind,
the body, and the spirit as one. What gears the pistons of the machine called
“yoga” is that of the body, training of mind, breathing, as well as becoming
linked with one’s spirituality. Even though some branches include actual
physical exercise, for others it is a way of life that individuals within this
world follow each and every day of their lives (Boehde, 2010, np).
Within the last few centuries, it
is evident that what has originated from our society has influenced the way we
live immensely. As humans, we tend to seek ways in which to live great lives: we think about salary (money), having a
perfect body, and dieting the right way, and living an overall comfortable, but
also successful way of life. Americans are worldly known for horrible eating
habits, and as a result, our society suffers through certain hardships such as
diabetes, high blood pressure, and even obesity. It certainly does not do any
better when fast food restaurants sell sandwiches for .99 and salads are on the
menu for more than four dollars. People are constantly searching for
alternative solutions to overcome the hardships of money struggles and dieting,
and I believe that yoga is the answer to assisting our society in hurdling over
these obstacles. The different types of yoga allow this practice to be
accessible to all -- no matter how old or how tall you may be. Yoga is
encouraged to be done consistently because the more consistent the better. Yoga
will help any individual with improving weight, expanding physical endurance,
and living a better life (Boehde, 2010, np).
A
HEALTHY DIET
In the past, there have been
studies that prove that yoga not only helps ones eating habits, but it also
then leads to control one’s weight and stimulates weight loss. This is a great
thing for our society, especially for those of us who are always trying to find
new and innovative ways to lose weight.
We have help; though, from weight loss supplements to personal trainers
or even different diet types. Our
society pushes for the need to be lean and healthy – or even “Barbie”
skinny. What yoga does; however, is help
people lose weight naturally, and gain strength at the same time. There is no need for any supplements or crazy
dieting, rather, about an hour a day a few times a week and the results will
show. An hour a day! How much more could we ask for? With our constantly busy lives, yoga is
something that can be easily fit into our schedule.
In a study conducted by a
professor of the University of Washington, fifteen thousand people in their
mid-fifties were examined. Out of the participants examined to have normal
weight at that age, only one hundred had practiced or were affiliated with yoga
in some way for four or more years. These individuals averaged three pounds
less than those who did not do yoga occasionally. An additional group of thirty people that were
overweight at the age of forty-five had lost an average of five pounds compared
to an average gain of thirteen pounds in non-yoga practitioners (Yoga, 2010,
7).
According to this study, yoga is
shown to promote weight loss in people who are overweight, while preventing
weight gain in individuals of normal weight. People who engage in mindful
eating can better conquer weight loss because they learn to make choices about
their eating based on awareness of hunger and value quality rather than
quantity of food. In one particular study, researchers developed a Mindful
Eating Questionnaire that addressed more than three hundred people on
awareness, external cues, emotional response, and distraction. Of these participants,
more than forty percent practiced yoga more than one hour per week, another
forty percent walked for an hour and a half per week, and more than fifty
percent engaged in more than ninety minutes of moderate or strenuous physical
exercise per week. According to the results, body weight of the participants
was within normal range, and the body mass index was lower among people who
practiced yoga compared to those who did not (Yoga, 2010, 7).
Researchers observed a
relationship between higher scores on the mindfulness questionnaire and a lower
body mass index, which indicates that mindful eating may have an important role
in long-term weight maintenance (Mitchell, 2010, 5). “Mindfulness Eaters”-- those who eat when
they are depressed, anxious, or when they are not hungry are more likely to
weigh more or to gain weight. Alan Kristal explains, “from my experience, I
think it has to do with the way that yoga makes you more aware of your body. So
when you’ve eaten enough food, you’re sensitive to the feeling of being full
and this makes it much easier to stop eating before you’ve eaten too much”(Sherman,
2010, 186).
Even further, the secret to
losing weight with yoga is the decreased level of stress. Timothy McCall, in his book Yoga as
Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for
Health and Healing, describes, “many of us are walking around in a fight or
flight mode, pumping stress hormones, including cortisol into our bodies”
(Dowdle, 2008, 64). Cortisol, as he
states, causes calories to be turned into fat as a faster rate than
normal. Yoga has been shown to decrease
cortisol levels. McCall believes that finding time to practice yoga at some
point in your day allows you to escape the realities and stresses experienced
during the day. Yoga enables us to let
go of everything except for our physical self in the studio. This practice eventually translates into real
life scenarios where we are able to keep the stress level to a minimum (66).
YOGA
OR THE GYM?
Yoga improves physical endurance.
Everyone is familiar with the elliptical or treadmill, but yoga is an
alternative workout that works your muscles just as efficiently. According to Yoga studies conducted by
University of California, “a powerful yoga session [can] average [up to] a
four-hundred and fifty five calorie-burn, which is equivalent to any other
cardiovascular exercise” (Sherman, 2010, 186).
Yoga has also been linked to other cardiovascular benefits. This is an exercise that offers assistance to
individuals with multiple diseases including sclerosis, osteoarthritis, and
cardiovascular disease or heart failure. Yoga helps individuals reach other physical
activity goals through helping them with flexibility and balance and strengthening
their muscles and bones (Sherman, 2010, 186).
As a person who doubted yoga
originally, I can attest to the fact that yoga definitely helps get you into
great shape. Being a soccer player all
my life, I was so used to the regimented treadmill runs or the weight
lifting. When I experienced yoga for the
first time, I felt like a different person.
I walked out of the studio feeling lighter and knowing all of my muscles
got a workout. I did not have to focus
on one muscle group per day because all of my muscles were engaged in each of
the poses.
YOGA
CAN IMPROVE YOUR SEX LIFE!
Our society is one that
emphasizes the importance of sex. It is
not enough to just say you are sexually active, rather it is more important
that we are engaging in a relationship that promotes healthy sex. With that, our society has done anything
possible in order to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy a
healthy sexual life. Creations of
medications, such as Viagra, for example, promote the role of sex in our
society. However, medications such as
Viagra have ugly side effects – heart disease, low blood pressure, or even
heart attack. As a result, people have
been turning to more holistic approaches to keep up with the demand of sex, but
also remain healthy. And what better
approach is there these days than that of the practice of yoga? (Nowicki, 2011,
2).
Yoga enhances and promotes a
healthy sex life. Yoga gives you greater flexibility and muscle tone. Better
sex...really? Practicing yoga will add numerous physical and emotional benefits
to time you spend with your partner in the bed. If you’re looking for some
guidance on a greater sex life or just spontaneity, there have been plenty of
studies on this topic to show the truth:
“sexually active people tend to live longer and have a lower incidence
of heart disease," says Beverly Whipple, Ph.D., co-author of The Science
of Orgasm (Johns Hopkins, 2006). According to Whipple's research, hormones and
brain chemicals released during orgasm help manage acute and chronic pain
(Isaacs, 2010, 15). According to Whipple's research, hormones and brain
chemicals released during orgasm help manage acute and chronic pain. Others studies support sex in fighting
depression and weight gain.
While there are many different
types of Yoga, the truest form of Yoga used to enhance sexual acts is the
Kundalini branch. This branch emphasizes nontraditional movements as well as an
extreme focus on breath. Kundalini is
very much in touch with the discussion of chakras in an attempt to coexist the
physical and spiritual self. In the end, Kundalini yoga promotes “feeling sex”
rather than simply “performing sex.” Kundalini yoga considers “carnal
indulgence as a medium to increase self exploration” (Fuller, nd). Essentially, by understanding yourself
physically and spiritually, kundalini will help you lead a healthier sex life.
Yoga helps enhance the body's
core strength and sexual energy. But how does yoga really help? It makes you
flexible, tougher, and self-confident; in and out of the sheets: “the more time you spend on the mat, the more
steamy your time in the bedroom,” says Jacquie Noelle Greaux, a yoga instructor
and co-author of Better Sex through Yoga (Isaacs, 2010, 16). Similar to Kegel
exercises, movements such as the Root Lock or Mula Bandha can toughen the
pelvic-floor thus improving the intensity of your orgasms. Other Yoga poses like "Bound Angle” and
"Wide-Legged Forward Bend" “increase blood flow” to the hip and
pelvic area (Isaacs, 2010, 16), which enhances sexual compassion and pleasure.
Yoga truly helps women to feel
more at one with their bodies. Females
are “less likely to objectify their bodies and to be more aware of their
physical selves” (Brotto, 2009, 382).
Thus, women are more likely to have a greater sex drive. The main reason for the newfound sex drive,
as Brotto explains, is the ability to unblock a chakra and release the energy
by releasing kundalini through the spine and up to the brain. This practice is not only beneficial for
women, but also for men, as men are able to “extend the longevity of sex by
facilitating orgasms without ejaculation” (383).
In further studies, particularly
one published by the Journal of Sexual Medicine
in 2009, the idea of promoting a greater sex life in women is confirmed. This study involved “40 healthy women, ages
22 to 50, who were enrolled in a yoga program in India. Most of the women were married, and all were
sexually active” (Yoga May Improve…, 2010, 7).
During the study, women were conducted through a series of twenty-two
different poses for an hour a day, followed by breathing and relaxation
techniques. At the beginning and end of
the study women were asked to fill out a questionnaire that assessed sexual
drives. At the conclusion of the
12-weeks, the study found that women, particularly those over 45, showed great
improvements in “arousal, lubrication, and pain” (7). Even more shocking, 75% of the women said
they were more satisfied with their sexual life post-yoga training.
Feeling good about your body is
sexy. Outside of increasing your sex life, poses like Chaturanga, the
four-limbed staff pose, work hard in building your strength and stamina. Additionally, yoga teaches self-acceptance
allowing you to feel less self-conscious and more confident about your body.
Want to make your sex life even
better than that? By practicing yoga with your lover, you can both enjoy the
benefits and grow closer in the process. Greaux explains, "Couple's yoga
is like foreplay: You're breathing, sweating, and moving together and when the
sheets are untangled, the fruits of your practice can have a long-lasting
outcome"(Isaacs, 2010, 15). Doing
yoga with your partner can be very effective for your sexual life. Engaging in
yoga with your partner supports a physical, emotional, and mental connection
between the two of you. It is believed
that doing yoga together – especially in the form of venus kriyas – is “one of
the most profound ways to enhance [a] relationship” (Kaur, 2010).
YOGA
ON YOUR MENTAL STATE
In the present difficult living
situation, mental agitation, anxiety and depression are quite common. Everyone
wants mental peace and satisfaction in his life away from the everyday
stressors of society. The real object is
to learn yoga and meditation systematically and to adopt them in lifestyle.
Yoga not only provides good health but also provides control of mind, spiritual
wisdom and self-realization. Not only
does yoga augment your physical aspects of life, but it also augments your
social life. In a study conducted by
Chris C. Streeter, it was found that yoga helped increase mood and anxiety when
compared to a metabolically match walking exercise – the first time this has
ever been found. This insinuates that
individuals who participate in yoga will be in a better mood, less anxious, and
can thus; engage with others in a social environment without hesitation. Yoga enables individuals to feel confident in
themselves in all aspects of life. The
ability for yoga to change the thalamic GABA levels in the brain allows for
improvements in a person’s mood. All in
all, yoga is a positive exercise that can change your body, mind, and soul in a
safe, positive way (Streeter, 2010, 1146).
Yoga is a state of disunion from
union with sorrow. The yoga has to be performed with utmost devotion,
determination and undisturbed by depression. It is evident from the scores of
studies conducted by several Universities and research organizations. They
arrived at the conclusion that yogic practice helps to cure several diseases
and to develop the concentration of mind and eases stress and tension.
Unfortunately most of the people are unaware of the practices of yoga that is
why they are not in a position to get the benefits of yogic practices.
Upon first walking into a yoga
studio it is only normal to feel out of place or even overwhelmed. Luckily, as
soon as the class starts, it is an immediate stress relief. You quickly learn to become one with your mind
and focus on positive thinking. By
learning to tell myself “I can push through” or “I can do it” I have learned to
translate this into other aspects of my life; particularly the idea of
graduation. The positivity in yoga has
helped me release a lot of stress surrounding graduation as well as changing my
thoughts from doubt and frustration into more calming and positive
thoughts. These thoughts translate into
positive actions – sleeping earlier, finishing work in a timely fashion, and
allowing more time for myself – the ultimate goal of yoga.
CONCLUSION
Overall, yoga, in my opinion is
highly profitable to our bodies. With so
much research showing the positives to our diet, stress level, sexual activity,
and emotions who could truly argue that yoga would be detrimental? The different branches of yoga enable yoga to
be accessible to all walks of life and in all shapes and sizes. There will always be doubters to this
practice, but until each person walks into a studio and experiences yoga for
what it is, such a person will never understand the benefits of this
practice. I know this because I was a
doubter, and sitting in a studio for a mere ninety minutes truly changed my
mind to the entire practice as a whole.
Works Cited
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